Mike Tyson delivered a slap seen around the world as he came face-to-face with Jake Paul for the final time before a controversial eight-round fight.
Tyson – who retired from professional boxing back in 2005 when Paul was just seven years old – has assured fans that he still has what it takes to beat the YouTuber-turned-fighter this weekend in Texas.
Some, including former opponents, believe him. Others won’t watch because of the dangers the event poses due to a huge gap in age and activity.
There’s little doubt that that ‘Iron’ Mike’s reflexes, speed and defence will pale in comparison to his prime years. He has also faced questions about his ferocity given that when he retired he said fighting was no longer in his heart.
The 58-year-old did everything he could to prove that he was as fearsome and unpredictable as ever when slapping Paul at their weigh-in. Paul, in reaction, said, “it’s personal now, now he’s got to die.” Ill-advised given the well-documented worries surrounding the contest.
Evander Holyfield – who beat Tyson twice and was the victim of his infamous ear bite – was in attendance and told Mail Sport that people had demanded this version of the former undisputed heavyweight champion and now they’ve got ‘the old Mike.’
“They want to see the old Mike, so he gave them a glimpse of it.”
He said the fight would come down to strength and heart.
“In the end, the stronger person who’s not gonna quit eventually wins.”
Tyson vs Paul takes place at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in front of a reported crowd of 65,000 and will viewed by many millions more on streaming giant Netflix.
